Police searching for the suspect of the Clapham chemical attack have found a body after earlier saying he is “most probably dead”.
Police had offered up to £20,000 for information leading to his arrest – with officers warning anyone found to be “harbouring or assisting” him would be arrested.
The force warned the public that Ezedi was “dangerous” and should not be approached.
This is what we know so far about the events before, during and after the attack for which he was wanted.
The day of the attack
Ezedi’s vehicle was seen in Newcastle upon Tyne at 12.15am on Wednesday 31 January.
Just over six hours later, at 6.15am, his car was spotted driving in Tooting, south London.
The next confirmed sighting of his car was in Croydon, south London, at 4.30pm.
Two-and-a-half hours later, at 7pm, he was then seen driving through Streatham, also in south London.
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CCTV captures Clapham attack
The chemical attack
At 7.25pm a 31-year-old mother and her two young girls, aged three and eight, were targeted with an alkaline substance on Lessar Avenue in Clapham, south London.
The attack was captured on CCTV, with the footage showing a man, believed to be Ezedi, running around a car before getting into the driver’s seat – while a woman and child in front of the vehicle hold their hands to their faces.
The man was then seen driving the car at the woman and hitting her, before stopping the vehicle and getting out.
He opened the back door and appeared to remove a child, before violently throwing them to the ground.
The footage also shows people from neighbouring properties emerging from their homes.
The car at the scene. Pic: PA
A witness, who asked not to be named, said the mother screamed “my eyes, my eyes” after the corrosive substance was thrown.
He chased the man down the street, but the suspect managed to escape.
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Woman screamed ‘my eyes’ after attack
Ezedi’s movements after attack
Police said he was later seen boarding a train at Clapham South Tube station at 7.33pm.
He then got off a train at King’s Cross Tube station at 7.59pm.
Ezedi was spotted on CCTV at 8.42pm leaving a branch of Tesco on Caledonian Road, close to King’s Cross Station, after buying a bottle of water. After exiting the shop, he turned right.
Abdul Ezedi’s known movements on the day of the attack
Abdul Ezedi’s last known movements on day of attack
At 9pm, he entered King’s Cross Tube station again and boarded a Victoria Line train heading south.
He had changed trains at Victoria Underground station, where he arrived on the Victoria Line at 9.10pm and departed on the eastbound District Line at 9.16pm.
At 9.33pm, he was seen leaving Tower Hill Underground station.
At 10.04pm, he passed the Unilever building near Blackfriars Station and headed towards Victoria Embankment.
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CCTV shows last sighting of Clapham suspect
Then, between 10.06pm and 11.25pm, he was picked up on camera walking alongside the Thames, on both sides of the river, crossing bridges at several points.
At 11.27pm, his last known movement was to cross back over Chelsea Bridge towards the north side.
On Saturday 10 February, having checked CCTV of his movements all along the paths next to the Thames, the Met announced it believed Ezedi had gone into the river and was most likely dead.
This appeared to have been confirmed 10 days later, when a body matching his description was found at Tower Pier, EC3, not far from Tower Bridge.
The manhunt
On the morning after the attack, police announced they were looking for the suspect.
In CCTV images released by police, he was wearing a blue and white top with a black hoodie and had what detectives described as “significant injuries” to the right side of his face.
Three of the UK’s biggest forces – the Metropolitan Police, Northumbria Police and British Transport Police – were originally looking for him. They were later joined by the Home Office, UK Border Force, UK Visas and Immigration and the National Crime Agency.
Abdul Shokoor Ezedi. Pic: Met Police
On Saturday 3 February, police said they raided five addresses.
The searches took place at two addresses in east London and three in Newcastle upon Tyne, including a home where empty containers with corrosive warnings were found.
Earlier, Sky News obtained footage of police raiding a flat in east London at around 2am on 2 February, where it was believed the suspect’s brother lived.
Police asked residents in the flats: “Have you seen a man with an injured eye?”
Residents were questioned in police cars parked nearby and were later let back into their flats. It is thought the suspect’s brother was among them, but he claimed to have had no recent contact with his sibling.
Further searches were carried out, including at least one on Ezedi’s place of work in Newcastle.
Meanwhile, a 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. He was taken into custody and later released on bail.
Officers said Ezedi’s injuries were likely to be fatal if they were not treated. Before announcing they believe he had died, police said they believed he had received help from others to stay undetected.
Pic: Northumbria Police
The victims
Police said the 31-year-old mother injured in the attack is still in hospital and under sedation. They expect her injuries will be life-changing.
However, the injuries of the two children are not as serious as at first feared.
The four bystanders who rushed to their aid have all been released from hospital with minor burns and five police officers who were also injured are back on duty.
Officers have said the suspect was known to the woman and have described the attack as “targeted”.
A picture of the family displayed on a fundraising site: Pic: Family handout/GoFundMe/PA
Loved ones of the injured woman set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the family and said “first and foremost” she was “a devoted and loving mother. Her children were her life”, adding: “All we want is for them to be able to rebuild their lives.”
The suspect
Police named him as 35-year-old Abdul Shokoor Ezedi.
It is understood he was granted asylum following two failed attempts after a priest vouched for his conversion to Christianity, saying he was “wholly committed” to his new religion.
Abdul Shokoor Ezedi. Pic: Met Police
He arrived in the UK via a lorry in 2016 and claimed his life would be in danger if he returned to his native Afghanistan.
Six years ago, he was handed a suspended sentence for a sexual offence in Newcastle.
He had pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of indecent exposure, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed.
His sentencing took place at Newcastle Crown Court on 9 January 2018, when he was given a nine-week jail term, suspended for two years, for the sexual assault.
For the indecent exposure, he was given 36 weeks’ imprisonment to be served consecutively, which was also suspended for two years.
Ezedi in Tesco on Caledonian Road in Islington, north London. Pic: Met Police
He was discharged from probation supervision in 2020.
Ezedi was also added to the sex offenders register for 10 years.
https://news.sky.com/story/clapham-chemical-attack-everything-we-know-so-far-13061933
